Dynamical symmetry breaking in transport through molecules

Abstract

We analyze the interplay between vibrational and electronic degrees of freedom in charge transport across a molecular single-electron transistor. We focus on the wide class of molecules which possess quasi-degenerate vibrational eigenstates, while no degeneracy occurs for their anionic configuration. We show that the combined effect of a thermal environment and coupling to leads, involving tunneling events charging and discharging the molecule, leads to a dynamical symmetry breaking where quasi-degenerate eigenstates acquire different occupations. This imbalance gives rise to a characteristic asymmetry of the current versus an applied gate voltage.

4 pages, 2 figures, revised final published version

References in corpus (3)

• Dependence of Single Molecule Junction Conductance on Molecular Conformation
• Franck-Condon blockade and giant Fano factors in transport through single molecules
• Vibrational sidebands and dissipative tunneling in molecular transistors

Cited by in corpus (10)

• Kinetic Equations for Transport Through Single-Molecule Transistors
• Vibration-induced correction to the current through a single molecule
• A benzene interference single-electron transistor
• Symmetry fingerprints of a benzene single-electron transistor
• Cotunneling and non-equilibrium magnetization in magnetic molecular monolayers
• Tunneling through magnetic molecules with arbitrary angle between easy axis and magnetic field
• Transport signature of pseudo-Jahn-Teller dynamics in a single-molecule transistor
• Berry-phase effects in transport through single Jahn-Teller molecules
• Josephson-current induced conformational switching of a molecular quantum dot
• Temperature effect in the conductance of hydrogen molecule